Plans condemned
by MacSharry

Fianna Fáil Senator Marc MacSharry has condemned Fine Gael and Labour plans to introduce what he described as “a completely unworkable management system which discriminates against active farmers with commonage”.

“This Fine Gael/Labour Government continue to display blatant disregard for the small farmers of Ireland. Under new proposals farmers with commonage will be jointly responsible for minimum and maximum stocking requirements.

“This is discriminatory and unworkable. Many commonage areas are only partially stocked by active farmers who will now be penalised if other commonage shareholders don’t stock their entitlements,” he told the Leitrim Observer.

“This proposal will divide communities and is completely unfair. It defies logic and further underpins this government’s persistent marginalisation of small farmers in the North West of the country. Fine Gael and Labour must reserve the proposal and consult with those Farming Commonages throughout the country with regard to any reform proposal.”